Cotter will make Montpellier great
Current Scotland boss Cotter will leave his position at the end of the current season to replace South African Jake White at Montpellier.
"We're giving ourselves a chance to grow with Cotter, to anchor in Montpellier, which is not a rugby town," said club President Mohed Altrad, following his team's 6-28 loss to Toulon on Sunday.
Montpellier announced Cotter's imminent arrival last Tuesday.
He will be replaced as Scotland head coach by Gregor Townsend.
"I prefer to say it from the off. It gives me a certain serenity," added Altrad of his decision to share the news so early on after being questioned about the effect it could have on the team.
"There's no impact on the club or the players, it's just professional.
"I don't doubt anyone's professionalism."
White's contract was due to end in June and Altrad described the World Cup-winning coach as someone he's "very sad to see leave" having "developed a friendship" with him.
But White's signing of numerous of his compatriots and preference for a turgid power-based gameplan did not go down well with locals.
Even less so was his decision to drop local darling Francois Trinh-Duc last season after the fly-half committed his future to Toulon.
White has been in the job for less than two years having only taken over from Fabien Galthie midway through the 2014/15 season.
Cotter previously spent eight years coaching Clermont in the Top 14, winning the title in 2010 and guiding them to the European Cup final in 2013.
Agence France-Presse
